Authentic Taiwanese Local Food Home Away from Home / 台灣美食的甜美滋味
◎Text and photo by Ya-Ting Hou
Yasue Mori came to Kaohsiung in March of last year after the Interchange Association (Japan) Kaohsiung Office assigned her to here as a staff member. Her job involves receiving Japanese staff members who visit Kaohsiung and administrative tasks. Although Yasue was born and grew up in Japan, her parents are Taiwanese. Yasue's background is strongly associated with Taiwan; this is also reflected in her dining preferences. She prefers a wide variety of local food. When she stays in town, she often goes to Rueifong Night Market for the authentic local food, which is generally known as siao-chih in Mandarin. Yasue remarked that the local dishes in the night market are reminiscent of the cooking back in Japan.She prefers a wide variety of local food. When she stays in town, she often goes to Rueifong Night Market for the authentic local food, which is generally known as siao-chih in Mandarin. Yasue remarked that the local dishes in the night market are reminiscent of the cooking back in Japan.
Having a language advantage of speaking Mandarin and Holo Taiwanese enables Yasue to fit into life in Kaohsiung smoothly. She says that her easy-going nature resembles the more relaxed lifestyle of Kaohsiung. Speaking from her personal experience, Yasue advises people from all over the world who plan to settle in Kaohsiung not to take their experiences from their home countries and apply it to life in Kaohsiung. Newcomers may enjoy life in Kaohsiung more if they learn to embrace the activities and styles local residents have been engaged in.
Yasue rides a scooter everywhere around Kaohsiung and has become familiar with the city. In her free time, she likes to visit Cijin Island and the Former British Consulate at Dagou. She strongly recommends riding a motorcycle and taking a ferry ride to Cijin. She has found that this is indeed a fabulous traveling experience. She is also attracted by the beautiful sunset, in particular at Sizihwan Bay.
For Yasue, Taiwanese local food represents the charm of Taiwan. She is willing to try a variety of local dishes, such as stinky Tofu, Taiwanese Taro, and shaved ice. Among these popular local dishes, meatball soup is her personal favorite. The city of Kaohsiung is an ideal place for everyone. As Yasue has said, with a bit of relaxation, one will enjoy life in Kaohsiung.
◎文．攝影／侯雅婷
去年３月，森靖惠因任職於日本交流協會而來到高雄工作，在高雄事務所負責接待日本來台政府官員及相關行政工作。雖然靖惠從小在日本出生、長大，但父母親都是台灣人，可說與台灣有很深的淵源，這點也反映在她的飲食偏好。喜愛台灣小吃的她，來高雄的時間，大多在瑞豐夜市享受道地的美食，她坦言，夜市的美食與她母親在日本家中烹調的口味很相似，享受著道地的夜市小吃，真的有家的親切感覺。 靖惠會說中文和台語，擁有語言上的優勢，讓她更容易融入本地的生活。靖惠也分享在高雄工作、居住的心得，靖惠說，她大而化之的個性跟高雄很像，她在這裏的生活很愉快；她建議到高雄工作、生活的外籍友人，不要將自己國家的生活方式或經驗，一成不變的應用在高雄，應入境隨俗，用本地人的方式與節奏去感覺在地生活的自在樂趣。
靖惠平日以機車做為代步工具穿梭在高雄的大街小巷，是個十足的高雄通；空閒時，她喜歡到旗津、英國領事館走走。靖惠大力推薦，到旗津時，一定要騎著摩托車搭乘渡輪，她說這樣的旅遊經驗很特別，是日本所沒有的；另外，中山大學附近的打狗英國領事館前，更是觀賞西子灣日落的好地方。
平價的台灣美食和夜市小吃是她心中台灣魅力的表徵，勇於嘗試的她，因此而發現了許許多多道地美食，例如：臭豆腐、台灣芋頭、剉冰，而貢丸湯更榮登她心中No.1最喜愛的食物。誠如靖惠所言，放輕鬆一點，高雄是座很適合居住的城市。